• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2007

Objectives : Schizophrenia is equally distributed in both sexes. However, later-onset, milder psychopathology, and better outcome are associated with the females. This reason is thought to be partly due to the estrogen system. Recently, it was suggested that estrogen receptor 1(ESR1) gene polymorphisms might affect the expression of ESR1 and were associated with several psychiatric disorders. Thus, we investigated the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in the ESR1 gene and Korean schizophrenic patients in this study. Methods : Genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies of the two SNPs(rs 2234693 and rs 2228480) were analyzed between 218 Korean controls and 158 Korean schizophrenic patients. Also, age of onset and negative symptom scale scores according to genotypes were analyzed in the patients with schizophrenia. Results : There was a significant difference in allele frequencies of rs 2234693 between the schizophrenic patients and the controls(p=0.03). Genotype distributions(p=0.03) and allele frequencies(p=0.01) of rs 2234693 were significantly different between the female schizophrenic patients and the female controls. The frequency of TC-CC genotypes compared with TT genotype in the female schizophrenic patients was significantly higher than that in the female controls(OR=2.36). The mean age of onset in the schizophrenic patients with TC-CC genotypes was significantly lower than that in the patients with TT genotype. The frequency of rs 2234693C- rs 2228480G haplotype in the female schizophrenic patients was relatively higher than that in the female controls. Conclusions : These results of our study support the possibility that the ESR1 gene polymorphisms might be involved in the susceptibility of females to schizophrenia and play a role in sex difference of schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2009

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Korean version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ-Kr) by comparing with Korean version of Childhood Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL). Methods : The parent version of SDQ-Kr and K-CBCL were administered to parents of 313 children in psychiatric clinic, 91 children referred for psychiatric consultation from pediatric clinic and 93 control children in pediatric clinic. All children aged 4-11 years old. Children in psychiatric clinic were diagnosed with one of followings;ADHD, emotional disorders and oppositional/conduct disorder. Mean scores were compared among three groups by gender. Coefficients were calculated for corresponding problem scales and total scores of both questionnaires. ROC analysis was performed for discriminant validity to distinguish psychiatry and pediatrics samples, and also to distinguish diagnostic groups of psychiatry sample. Results : The psychiatry sample showed highest means of problem scales and total scores, followed by consultation and control sample of pediatrics. SDQ-Kr and K-CBCL were significantly correlated, and equally able to distinguish those samples with SDQ-Kr showing better results. Within the psychiatry sample, SDQ-Kr had higher predictive power for all diagnostic groups. Conclusion : This study supports clinical usefulness of SDQ-Kr. We suggest that SDQ-Kr could be used not only as a diagnostic tool for children in psychiatric clinic but also as an effective and efficient screening instrument for children in need for psychiatric evaluation in pediatric clinic.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine psychological characteristics of patients who visited psychiatric clinic for medical certificate for military service using MMPI-2-RF. We compared target group with general psychiatric patients with same age range. Methods : A total of 165 male patients for medical certificate and 154 general psychiatric patients were collected from the Department of Psychiatry of three university hospitals. There were significant differences of age and educational level between two groups. We used independent t-test, ANCOVA, ${\chi}^2$ test to examine differences between two groups. Results : Medical certificate group scored higher on the validity scales, the Higher-Order(H-O) scales, the Restructured Clinical(RC) Scales, the Specific Problems(SP) Scales, and the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Scales. Especially, EID, RC7, HLP, SFD, SAV, SHY, DSF, and INTR-r showed significant differences between two groups on all three statistical tests. Conclusions : The present study showed that psychiatric patients who received psychological evaluation for military service have significantly higher emotional distress, helplessness, lower self-confidence, and lower quality of interpersonal relationships. And the difference of validity scales between two groups could be related with psychological burden of compulsory military service in the study sample which causes elevation on scales of infrequent responses. MMPI-2-RF would be helpful instrument to assess these emotional and psychological characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2018

Objectives : The aims of this study were to investigate the psychopathology in adolescents with internalizing disorder using the self-report version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-SR) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for adolescents (MMPI-A), and to explore the complementarity between these two inventories for diagnostic assessment. Methods : Ninety-one patients aged 13-17 were divided into two groups by clinical diagnosis, 44 with internalizing disorder and 47 comparison group with other disorders. The data of SDQ-SR and MMPI-A completed by them were analyzed for the ability to predict internalizing disorder. Results : The logistic regression analysis revealed that diagnostic predictability increased by 2.27 times with every 1 point of SDQ-SR emotional symptom score increment. Comparison of ROC curves for internalizing disorders showed that the SE and SP of SDQ-SR emotional symptom with score over 4 was 88.94 and 78.72, respectively. For A-anx of MMPI-A with score over 56, SE and SP was 77.27 and 74.47, respectively. However, combination of these scales could not enhance the predictability of diagnostic classification more than that of SDQ-SR emotional symptom alone. Conclusions : Emotional symptom scale of SDQ-SR and A-anx, A-aln, A and INTR of MMPI-A should be important subscales for diagnosing the internalizing disorder of adolescents, however, which needs to be examined further with a larger sample size including normal control group.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.121-129
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of experiential avoidance on the relationships between life stress, depression and smartphone addiction in nursing college students. This study was conducted using a descriptive survey design. Participants were 283 nursing college students attending freshmen and sophomore yearsat one university in Jeollanam-do. Data were collected from September 1 to 15, 2015 using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, hierarchical regression and Sobel test with SPSS 21.0. There were significant positive correlations between life stress, depression, smartphone addiction and experiential avoidance. Experiential avoidance partially mediated the relationship between life stress and depression of nursing students. Additionally, experiential avoidance partially mediated the relationship between their life stress and smartphone addiction. The results show that experiential avoidance plays a key role in psychopathology and grows with depression and smartphone addiction. Based on the present findings, nursing interventions should be developed to decrease experiential avoidance, with additional consideration towards the relationship between life stress and experiential avoidance, in order to prevent depression and smartphone addiction among nursing college students.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.196-202
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• 1999

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of vitamin B complex on stress-induced immune alteration. 21 medical students participated in the study 4 weeks before an academic examination period(baseline), 2 weeks before the exam period and during the exam period. Among them, 10 subjects were given vitamin B complex for 4 weeks, and 11 were not given vitamin B during the whole period. Cell-mediated immune function was measured by lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin(PHA) and interleukin-2(IL-2) production. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and symptom checklist-90-revised(SCL-90-R) were used to measure the level of subjective stress and psychopathology. Vitamin group had significantly lower scores of anxiety scale on SCL-90-R than non-vitamin group. No significant differences were found in lymphocyte proliferative response to PHA and IL-2 production between vitamin and non-vitamin groups during each period. There were no significant differences in change of of each of the two immune parameters over time as well as between vitamin and non-vitamin groups. However, lymphocyte proliferative response to PHA was significantly increased over time. In conclusion, it was suggested that vitamin B complex is likely to decrease anxiety level, and that exam stress might enhance lymphocyte proliferation regardless of vitamin B.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2017

Objectives : The aims of present study was to investigate clinical characteristics of male patients with eating disorders. Methods : The present study included 32 male patients with eating disorders and 75 female patients with eating disorders, recruited from an eating disorders specialized clinic in a university hospital, Seoul, Korea. We compared clinical characteristics of eating disorders and comorbid conditions of depression and anxiety between men and women with eating disorders. Correlations between eating disorders psychopathology in men with eating disorders and their weight suppression(WS) were investigated. Results : There was no difference in age at presentation, age of onset, illness duration, and body mass index at presentation between genders. Male patients with eating disorders had higher rates of premorbid overweight or obesity than female patients with eating disorders had. WS in the male patients was associated with the severity of their eating disorders. Conclusions : The present study provides grounds for improved understanding for clinical features of eating disorders in males.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2007

Objectives: Studies investigating problematic internet use have increased rapidly and have been focused on its causes, psychopathology, prevalence, characteristics and so on. However, there are few studies concerning the correlation between problematic internet use and youth health risk behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between problematic internet use and youth health risk behavior. Methods: A community sample of 632 high school students in grades 10 and 11 was collected for the survey. The sample was assessed using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(YRBSS) and Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire of Internet Addiction(YDQ). The subjects were classified into two groups: normal and problematic internet use, and the problematic internet use group was further divided into at-risk use and addiction groups. Results: There were 56 subjects(8.9%) in the internet addiction group and 56 subjects(8.9%) in the at-risk internet use group. The other 507 subjects were classified as normal. The subjects in the internet addiction group kissed more frequently and ate less fruit than those in the normal group. They also showed a relatively higher tendency to watch TV, ride in a car driven by a drunk driver and to carry a weapon than those in the normal group. There were no differences in health risk behaviors between the subjects in the internet addiction group and those in the at-risk internet use group, except for the possibility of riding in a car driven by a drunk driver. Conclusion: Unlike the normal group, there was very little difference in health risk behavior between the internet addiction group and the at-risk internet use group, which indicates that the addiction group and the at-risk internet use groups are homogenous. It is important to focus on the behavior of individuals in the at-risk group, and preventive measures should be taken in order to reduce the possibility of at-risk adolescents becoming addicted.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.238-246
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• 2003

Objectives：Mental health problems have been found to be more common among juvenile delinquents. This report assessed the reliability, and validity of the MAYSI-2K(Massachusettes Youth Screening Instrument-2 Korean) in Korean delinquents to examine the utility as a screening measure. Methods：The study consisted of 119 male juvenile youths(mean age 16) who admitted in the probation & detention office. They completed an assessment battery including MAYSI-2K and K-YSR(Korean-Youth Self Report) upon entry. Factor analysis, reliability test, and validity test were conducted. Results：The results of factor analysis represented 14 factors which showed more factor structures in comparison with published factor loadings of 7 in the MAYSI. In factor analysis according to the each subscale of the MAYSI, the internal coefficients of 7 subscales ranged from .142 to .756. Test-retest reliability revealed significant correlations(r= .84). There were significant correlations among subscales of MAYSI-2K and K-YSR. Conclusion：Our findings suggested that MAYSI-2K might be a useful screening measure. But further studies with extended number of subjects and culturally appropriate items are required for clinical utility of the MAYSI-2K in Korean delinquents.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.263-277
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• 1998

Conventional high-dose antipsychotics tend to result in more side effects, negative symptoms and dysphoria, and at the same time lower the cognitive function which is already impaired in most schizophrenics. Florid psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive impairment greatly impede psychosocial performance and eventual reintegration into society. The reduction of symptom and the improvement of cognitive funtions and social skills are therefore central to the psychiatric rehabilitation process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dose-reduction effects of antipsychotics on chronic schizophrenics prescribed conventional high-dose antipsychotics more than 1,500mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. Fifty-one chronic schizophrenics who maintained high-dose antipsychotics for more than three months were randomly assigned to two groups : 20 patients comprised the dose-maintaining group and 31 patients made the dose-reduction group. Over a sixteen weekperiod Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Extrapyramidal Symptom(EPS), Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation(NOSIE-30), Continuous Performance Test(CPT), Quality of Life(QOL), and haloperidol/reduced haloperidol blood levels were determined at the base line and after 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 weeks to evaluate the dose reduction effects of high-dose antipsychotics. The results were as follows : 1) Dose-reduction is highly effective in reducing positive and negative symptoms, and general psychopathology. Effects were most prominent at 8, 12, 16 weeks. Among the dose reduction group, positive symptoms in positive symptom group and negative symptoms in negative symptom group were more reduced. 2 Extrapyramidal symptoms showed no significant difference between two groups. But the EPS was reduced time after time within two groups. 3) Hit rates of Continuous Performance Test, which indicate attentional capacity, increased significantly after dose reduction. 4) Haloperidol and reduced haloperidol blood levels decreased until the 4th week, after which they were constant. 5) Total scores of Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation were unchanged between the two groups. But among the indices, social interest and personal neatness were improved in the dose-reduction group and retardation was aggrevated in the dose-maintaining group. 6) Total quality of life scores were unchanged between two groups. But in the dose maintaining group, satisfaction scores of attention, autonomy, and interpersonal relationship decreased progressively. These findings suggest that the dose reduction of antipsychotics for chronic schizophrenics on programs of high-dose antipsychotics were effective. Dose reduction should therefore be implemanted to spread the rehabilitation and improve quality of life for chronic schizophrenics.